Tobacco-leaf machine.



0. HAIVINIEHSTEIN.

TOBACCO LEAF MACHiNE.

APPLICATION mw 0513.15. 1913.

1,137,207., Patented Apr. 27, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

WIT/VESSES [NVE/WOR 05E/4A HMMERSE/N WW By -rHE MORRIS PErERs Co.. PHOTO-LITHO.4 WASHINGTON, D. C

0. HAMMERSTEIN.

TOBACCO LEAF MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. I5. 1913.

1 ,137,207. Patented Apr. 27, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

www By THE NORRIS PETERS CD.. PHfrO-LITHOfy WASHINGTON. Dy c.

OSCAR' HAMMER-STEIN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TOBACCO-LEAF MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent. p Patented Apr. 27, 1915.

Application aiedlnember 15, 191e. serial No. 806,661.

T all whomz't may concern:

Be it known that I, OsoAR'HAMME'RsTEIN,

a citizen of ther-'United States, and resident of the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State ofk New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in To- "becco-Leaf Machines, of which the` following is al specification. n

My invention relates to tobacco leaf machines and has for its object to `providea machine of this type which will effectively and continuously book the leaf and which includes an improved land simple mechavnism for feeding the said leaf ltothe booking. means.

improvement further contemplates providing thesaid feeding mechanism either with a means for treating. the stems of the leaf in a manner to render said stems readily combustible and available for use in ,the manufacture -of cigars or with a simple and effective stripping device for stripping said leaf. l

My invention will be fully described here-v' inafter and the features of novelty will be',

pointed out in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in which- 1 Figure 1 is a side elevation iof my improved machine; Fig.y 2 is a front view'.

thereof showing the stemA treating means i combined with the feeding mechanism; Fig.

3 is a central vertical section thereof; and

`Figs. 4 and 5 are detail'views similar to Figs. 2 and 3 respectively and showingthe stripping means combined-'with the feeding mechanism.l

Ask illustrated in the drawingsk the machine comprises a Amain framerlO on which a shaft or the like 11,', carrying a'drum 12,' is journaled, said drum 12 being preferably coveredwith felt or similar cushioningmaterial 13 whereby injury to the tobacco by Y vdirect contact 'with -thedrum surface Vduring booking is avoided..l A sprocket wheel 14 is fiXed upon the Vdrumr shaft 11 andiis connected by means of a sprocket chain 15 with a second sprocket wheel16 which is secured to or forms part. of a clutch member 17 loosely mounted on a driving shaft 18 rotatably mounted on thel main frame 10.

This clutch member 17 is adapted to`V coperate with av cluch member 19 `which isfast l on'fgthe shaft 18, said member 17being op- Y erated by meansof a treadlev 20 pivoted atv 21 on the main frame 10 to connect said` clutch members when it is desired to start the machine. The clutch 17-19 is preferably so constructed that it will be automatically disconnected at the end 'of each complete revolution of the shaft 18 and to re-` main so until the members thereof are again connectedby an operation of the treadle 20. The sprocket wheels 14 and 16 in the illustration are so proportioned that a complete revolution of the shaft 18 will bring about one-half a revolution of the drum 12 which latter thus vautomatically comes to rest at the end of each half revolution. A second treadlel 22 also pivoted on the main frame may be provided for stopping the machine at an intermediate point or at any time before the automatic stoppage spoken of above is accomplished. This treadle 22 when depressed serves to disconnect the normally connected members of a cluch 23,

any driving functionf This condition of the `parts remains until the pressure is removed from the treadle 22, an operation which causes the members of the clutch 23 to again become connected and the pulleyV 24 to be again coupled to the shaft 18.

The means for feeding the tobacco 'leaf comprises two rollers 25 and 26 rotatably mounted substantially in surface engagement with each other on arms 27 pivoted at 28 on the main frame 10 and rigidly connected together vby means of a cross-bar 29.

The rollers 25 and 216 are operatively connected `together by meansof lpinions 25a and Y 26a'and the roller 25 is preferably mountedV so asto'be adjustable toward and away from the roller 26, in which case adjusting screws 274 are provided on the arms27, it beingr understood that the adjustment of said roll'- j ers is never sufficient to disengage the pinions 25?L and 26?; As shown best in Fig. 2 Y

the rollers V25 and 26 are each provided at approximately their central points with cor rugated or otherwise'roughened portions25b and 261, the saidl portions being relatively narrow and the remainder of the rollers atopposite sides of said corrugated portions beingpreferably smooth. vA pair of endless belts'l or apronsBO pass around the 'smooth portions -of the roller` 26 atopposite sides of the corrugated portions 26b and d' around the drum 12 with which" said belts or aprons coperatie to book the leaf as Ywill Vbe more Yclearly described hereinafter, The

said belts or aprons 30 pass over a guideroller 31 rotatably Vmounted onV the main frame 10 and further pass over guide rollers 32 journaled yon an auxiliary frame 33 pivoted at 34 to the mainframe 10. If desired a roller 35 may be rotatably mounted on the pivot 34 for still further guiding the said belts or aprons 30. In addition to the above mentioned rollers the said aprons 30 pass around a roller 36 which is journaled on arms 37 pivotally secured at 33 to the auxill iary frame 33 and forming a continuation of vthe same and with said rframe 33` extending about the upper portion of the rdrum l2 as.

shown in Figs. l and 3. In orderthat the belts or aprons 30 may at all timesbe maine` 'tained under tension or in proper operative .Y

relation to the drum l2, I also conduct the said belts or aprons over a tension roller 39.

This tension roller 39 is journaled upon bell crank levers 40 pivoted at 4l upon the main frame l0 and supporting links 42 .which the aprons 30 traveland through .theV47 .medium of which said aprons are -maintained in constant paths. In order that the auxiliary frame 33may be properly supported in operative relation to the drum l2, I provide adjustable screws 45 adapted to rest-'upon upright portions 10a of the machine frame l0.

vWith the feed rollers 25- and 26 provided with corrugated portions 25b 'and 26b the machine is adapted. to render the stems readily combustible and to book the leaf in its initial unstripped conditionafter the vstems have been thus treated. YIn order to properly book the leaf inthis conditon I prefer to provide an intermediate belt or apron30a which passes over the rollers 3l, 2, 35 and 39 and aroundthe rollerf36 and drum 12 in the same manner as do thelbelts oraprons 30 and is located therebetween.A

This-intermediate belt 30LL does-'not,'how

ever, Vpass around the roller 26 but insteadV passes around 'a roller 46 journaled on the arms 27;.below said roller A26 and is per-V mitted to have a lyielding" movement relatively to the aprons 30 under certain conditionsV to be more fully explained hereinafter by` means of an auxiliary tension roller;v

47 journaled on arms 48 capable ofa rocking movementon the shaftof the roller 39. The said roller 47 ,combinedwith the weights 44 whichvcontrol the roller 39isrelied upon -to Vmaintain thejsaid intermediate Vbelt 30a l under propertension` at all times. In orderV Y that the corrugated portions 251?, 26b"may be kept free and clean and at all times in'opera- Y' tive condition when the machine is in use, I preferto-provide av receptacle 49 adapted tocontain water orother suitable liquid and supported inan invertedf condition in a sleeve 50 forming part of or secured to cross-bar 51 and connecting the arms 37 as shown best in Fig. 2.l The receptacle`49 is provided with a wick 52 whichin the operative'condition of the machine has its exposed end resting upon orin wiping engagement with the corrugated portion 25.b of the-roller 25. The 'receptacle 49.may be illedin any suitable manner as for 'instanceythrough anv opening normally closed Vby Va stopper 53.

VThe operation of the machine so f ar 'del i scribed is as follows: After the drivingshaft 18 has been set in motion through the medium of the pulley 24 and it isdesired to Y start the' machine, the treadle'20 is depressed by foot power' or otherwise to operatively connect the l clutch members f1? and 19, after which said treadle V2O is released and returns to its normal position. The rotative motion of the-'shaft 18 in thiseondition ofi-,the parts is communicated to theyy sprocket. wheelf i6- and by means vof the sprocket chain 15V will thus rotate the sprocket wheel-14.YV This will Y bring V'about a rotation of the drum 12 and an actuationlof the belts or aprons 30 andV 30a, the aprons30 in turn serving to rotate the roller 26 which latter owing to its connection with the roller 25l through the niedium of the/gears 25a, 2611fwill thus also rotate theroller 25. The tobacco leaf avwith l l the stem remaining therein is introduced be-gV tween the rollers 25`and126 withthestein thereof opposite the corrugated or otherwise roughened portions 25h, 26D. The rollers 25 and 26 will. cause the leaf to be fed ValongV between themV andV cause` the. stem of the leaf to be subjected to the aetionofthe corr rugated or' otherwise roughened Vportions,

25h, l26" and'its characteristicschanged to make said stem readily combustible and available for use in cigars or ,the'like any time during the Vpassageof theleaf vbe Y tween the rollers 25 26 the operationof the machine maybe temporarily checked as Y before stated 'by 'simply` depressing .the

treadle 22, thus giving the operator an op,`V v

portunity to unfold orv straighten outythe .leaf or otherwise adjust the samefor proper y Afeeding'between the rollers25 and26. By"

permittingthe treadle 22 to resumeV its normal position the mechanism will again be' set in motion and the treated leaf;y a will pass, downwardly between `theaprons 30 and 30Va Y and the felted surface 13' ofrthe drum12., the;Y

Vstem of the -leafjbeing located adjacent tol fr. Y

v'theapron 30A and the remainder of theleaf being next to the aprons `3Q. f' In this manner and will also finally becomesdeposited on the drum 12 in the same manneras the first leaf,

i' the two leaves being located at diametrically opposite vpoints of the drum 12 orin other words, one behind the other as shown best in Fig. 3. A third leaf which 'may now be introduced between the rollers 25 and 26 will finally become deposited :upon the first leaf on the drum, vwhile the following or fourth leaf will become deposited lupon the second and so on. rIwo separate kbookings of treated tobaccov leaf will in this mannerA be built upon the Vdrum 12A at diametrically 'op- .the leaf accumulates in the manner de? posite points thereof as willbe readily" apparent from an inspection of Fig. 3. As

scribed the aprons 30 will kbe gradually moved away from theV periphery of 'the drum 12,lthe bell crank levers 40 swinging on'the pivots -41 and permitting'the said aprons to yield as described. During this operation the apron- 30'r1 will be similarly moved away from the drum by the stem portions of the leaf and as these stem portions are relatively thicker than the Vremainder of the'leaf the bookings will be thicker at these y points andthe apron 30a will be at a greater distance from the surface of the drum 12 than are the aprons 30. This independent yielding adjustment of the apron 30a is possible owing to the` fact that the rods 48 and roller 47 vare capable of an independent swinging movement .on the shaft of the roller 39. At the same time as the bookings increase in thickness la pressure will be exerted thereby and owing'to the factthat the axis of the drum 12 is fixed against a transverse movement will cause the arms 27 with the rollers 25 and 26 to be swung on the pivots 23. Similarly the pressure of the bookings will cause the arms 37 to be swung on thepivots 38, the receptacle 49 being carried along during this movement and the Y wick 52 being thus maintained in proper operative relation Vtothe corrugated portion 25b as is shown inl Fig. 3. During the swinging of the arms 37 as described ythe said receptacley 49 will properly vadjust itself inthe sleeve 50 of the bar 51.` rIheV feed rollers 25 and 26 thus: automatically adjust y themselves to accommodate books of any thickness within the range of operation of the machine, the books beingat all times firmly held on the drum 12 by the aprons 30 and 30a and the receptacle 49 similarly accommodating itself to the change in size of the bookings and being at all times in proper operative relation to'the corrugated portion 25b ofthe roller 25. rIhe pressure exertedby the several aprons under the influence of the weights 44 and roller 47 insure a perfect booking of theleaf'which at the same time in the form of machine and book described is treated to render the stems available for use in cigars and thus avoiding the necessity for stripping said leaf. When the desired thickness of booking has been secured the auxiliary frame 33 is` raised about the pivot 34 to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig.V 3 until arrested either bythe aprons 3.0 and 30a or by a suitable stop which may be provided on the main frame 10 for this purpose. In this manner the upper portion of the drum is freed andA the uppermost book is in consequence free to be easily removed therefrom, after which the drum is given a halfrotation to bring the second Vbook into a position of ready accessibility which second book may thus also be readily removed. The auxiliaryl framej33 may then again be moved back to its normal position to again make the machine ready for further' operation, the various parts ,automatically adjusting themselves during these manipulations. In order that the arms 37 may beprevented from swinging too far downward when the auxiliary frame is in its raised position the said arms are provided with square or angular ends 37a adapted to abut against shoulders 33JL formed on said auxiliary frame 33 as is clearly shown in the dotted position in Fig.

3. The arms 27 may similarly be provided" with square or angular ends 27a adapted to engage a shoulder 10b on the main frame 10 for limiting the outwardmovement of said arms 27 as is also clearly shown in said Fig. 3. Y

In Figs. 4 and 5 the rollers 25 and 26 instead of being provided with corrugated or otherwise roughened portions 25h, 26b are providedv with coperating cutting devices 25, 26c whereby the 'stem is cut from the leaf, or the leaf in other words is stripped before being booked. In this formthe intermediatel apron 30a may be omitted if desired. The aprons 30 in this second form of machine also instead of passing around a single roller 36 pass :around individual rollers 36L1 which have their one end rotatably mounted in the arms 37 and their other ends ournaled in arms 37a capable of independent swinging'movement about the `pivot rod 3.8. With. this construction two pairs of bookings are formed on the drum `at diametrically opposite points, each consisting substantially of a .h alf leaf or in other words of opposite side portions of saidL leaf, this being due to the fact that the stem, isV cut or stripped from the leaf in its pas- `sage between the rollers 25, 2G. l,Vithythe above arrangement, if the Vbookingsadjacent to the left hand belt orr'apron 30 in Fig. d should become thicker than the book- 1 ings adjacent totheright-hand belt or apron '.30 in saidY Fig. 170i` vice versa the correv vso sponding arms 37 and 37a are capable of an independent yielding movement so as to readily accommodate anyV inequality'which may exist in the thickness of therespective bookings.V To make this operation readily possible the receptacle 19 which iny the present arrangement is intended to maintain thev cutters 25, 25C inra clean and operative condition, instead of being mountedy on the arms 37, -is carried by a cross-bar 51which forms part of or is secured to the arms 27;

Tliesaid receptacle 49 instead ofmoving with the arms 37 vas in the first instance thus moves with the armsv27 as is. clearly shown inFig. 5. V@therwise the arrangement being described may be the same as Vin the first form illustrated andrdescribed. |The operation is also exactly thev same with the exception that as the leaf is passed between the rollers 25 and 26 the stems thereof are stripped or cut from the leaf and two sets or pairs ofbookings are built up on the drum at diametrically opposite rpoints singlel book in the case of the unstemmedl leaf or a single pair of books when the leafl is stripped is built hp the'reon.

My improved machine is extremely simple in operation and construction and is easily controlled by unskilled labor and is notV likely to become disariaiiged or out of order. Various changes in the specific. forms Vshown and described may be made within the scope of the claims without departing fromthe spirit of my invention.

YIclaim: Y Y i 1; A. machine of the kind described comprising a rotatable booking drum, relatively stationary bearings for said drum and meansl for feeding tobacco leaf thereto, a movable support for said feeding means whereby the latter is automatically adjustable away'from saiddrum by pressure exerted by the booked leaf as the booking proceeds. Y Y 2. A machine of the kind described comprising' a stationary frame, abooking drumv rotatably mounted thereon', a support mov-l ably connected with said frameta pair of copratng feedv rollers carrie-Cl by Said Sup" Y port, said 'supportand feedrollers-'being automatically movable away from saiddrum by pressureexerted by the booked leaf as the booking proceeds and means foractuating said drum and feed rollers.

3. A machine ofl he kind described'com-l;k

prising a stationary frame, va booking drum rotatably mounted" thereon, any apron licooperatingwith said V'drum to book theleaf thereon, a pair of supports pivotally con-" nected withV said frame, a pair of coperating feed rollers on one of said supports for feeding the leaf, a guide roller on the other support for guiding said'apron, Vsaid supports being Yautomatically adjustable where-f bythe feed rollers and guide rollerarex--f moved away from the'drumby pressure exerted by the booked leaf as the booking Yproceeds and means for actuating said Vdrum and'feed rollers.

t. Armachin'e of the kind described?. coinprising astationary mainframe, abookingy drum rotatablyY mounted thereon, a support pivotally connected with said main frame,

a pairof.coperatingfeedprollers mountedr on said lsuppor't',fan auxiliary frame pivot-` allyicoiinected with said main frame and movable to an inoperative V.position away" fromthe drum, a second support Ypivotally connected with said auxiliary frame, a guide roller on said second support, an apron' co-V i ,operating with said drumV to book the leaf and passing around one feed rollerand said guide roller, said two supports being automatically adjustable whereby the feed rollers and guide roller are moved away (from theV drum as the booking proceeds means for actuating said drum. .l

5. A machine of the drum rotatably mounted thereon, a support pivotally connectetd with said main frame,

on said support, an auxiliary frame pivotallyy connected with said 'main frame and movable to anV inoperative position away from the drum, a second support pivotally Y kind .described .comrisin@r a stationarv main frame` a bookin a pair of cooperating feed rollers mounted i Y Y connected with saidV auxiliary frame, a,V

guide vroller on said second support, an apron cooperating with said drum to book the leaf and passingaround onefeed Vroller p and said guide roller, said two supports being automatically adjustable whereby thefeed rollers andl guide roller are moved.VV` awayfrom the drinn as the booking profY ceeds, means for maintaining said apron under'tension at alltimes and means for actuating said drum.

` 6. A machine of the kind described coin-Y prising a stationary frame, a support pivoti ally secured thereon, a pair of v'coperating feed rollers mounted on said support'and provided with relatively narrowcoperating corrugated portions intermediate of their ends and with smooth portions at'opposite sides of said corrugatedA portions,"`a kroller journaled adjacentv to sai'dffeed rollers, a' drum rotatably mounted on said frame, aprons passing around said drum and around the smooth portionsof one of said rollers, an intermediate apron between said first aprons passing around said drum and said adjacent roller in registry with said corrugated portions, said aprons coperating with said drum for booking tobacco, means for permitting a movement of said aprons away from the surface of said drum to accommodate the leaf as the booking proceeds, means for permitting a movement of said intermediate apron away from said drum independently of said other aprons and mechanism for actuating said drum, aprons and rollers.

7. A machine of the kind described comprising a stationary frame, a support pivotally secured thereon, a pair of coperating feed rollers mounted on said support and provided with relatively narrow coperating corrugated portions intermediate of their ends and with smooth vportions at opposite sides of said corrugated portions, aroller journaled on said` frame adjacent to said feed rollers, a drum rotatably mounted on said frame, aprons passing around said drum and around the smooth portions of one of said rollers, an intermediate apron between saidl first aprons passing around said drum *and said adjacent roller 1n registry with said corrugated portions, said aprons coperating with said drum lforbooking tobacco, means for permitting a movement of said aprons away from the surface of said .drum to accommodate the leaf as the booking proceeds, means for permitting a movement of said intermediate apron away from said drum independently of said otherV aprons, mechanism for actuating said drum, aprons and rollers and means for moving a portion of said aprons away from said drum to permit a removal of the books of tobacco.

8. A machine of the kind described comprising a stationary frame, a support pivotally secured thereon, a pair of coperating feed rollers journaled on said support and provided with relatively' narrow coperating corrugated portions intermediate oftheir Vmeans for permitting a movementl of said aprons away from the surface of'said drum jto accommodate the leaf as the booking proceeds, means for'permitting aVl movement of 'said'intermediate apronv away-from v'said drum independently of said otherv aprons,

' mechanismy for actuating said-drum, aprons and rollers and means for cleaning the corrugated portions of said rollers.

9. In a machine of the kind described, a stationary frame, a booking drum rotatably mounted thereon, a support pivotally connected with said frame, a pair of coperating rollers journaled on said support and provided with intermediate roughened portions for acting upon the stem of a tobacco leaf, a second support pivoted on said frame, a liquid receptacle carried by said second pivoted support, a wick in said receptacle arranged to have a wiping engagement with the roughened portion of one of said rollers, and mechanism for actuating said drum and rollers.

10. A machine of thekind described comprising a stationary frame, a booking drum rotatably mounted thereon, a support pivotally connected with said frame, a pair of coperating feed rollers journaled on said support, a second support pivoted on said frame, a guide roller on said second support, an apron coperating with saidy drum to book the leaf and passing about one of said feed rollers and about said guide roller, a.

feed rollers.

11. A machine of the kind described comprising a stationary frame, a booking drum rotatably mounted thereon, a support pivot- .ally connected with said frame, a pair of cooperating feed rollers j ournaled on said support, a liquid receptacle carried by said pivoted support, a wick in said receptacle arranged to wipe a portion of said feed rollers,` said supports being automatically adj ustable whereby said feed rollers and rece tacle are moved away from the drum as t e booking proceeds and means for actuating said drum and feed rollers.

l2. A machine of the kind described comprising a stationary frame, a booking drum rotatably mounted thereon, a support pivotally secured to said frame, a pair of cooperating feed rollers carried by said. support, independently movable arms pivotally mounted on said frame, guide rollers connecting said arms in pairs and journaled thereon, a pair of aprons passing about said drum and said guide rollersand coperating with the latter to book the leaf, said support being automatically adjustable whereby the 6 Llamo? feedroiiers lare moved away from the drum -rrny hand in the'presence of tivo snbscribing as the booking proceeds and said guide roll- YWisma'sses.V

ers being adjustable aWayrorn said drum 'A OAS-GAR H i independently of said Vfeed rollers end of Y -4 5 each other during the booking operation and v`Winesses-: Y' l, Y means for actuating'sald drum. JOHN A. KEHLENBECK,

In-testimony whereof, I have hereunto set Y' v H. LOCKWooD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five AcentsV each, by Yaiddressng. *che Conunssionerl Patents, Washingtonfnqf Y' 

